Box-covering machine.



P. S. HULT' & C. F. LUNDIN.

Box COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-13, I915.

Patented May 30,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.-

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THE COLUMBIA PLANQGRAP" CO WASHINGTON, IJ- C- P. S. HULT &- C. F. LUNDIN.

BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1915.

Patented May 30, 1916.

4 S H E ETS--S Witness P. s. HULT & C. F. LUNDINQ BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mp1s. 19.15.

Patnted May 30,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I I I I I I a l I I I. I. I I. I I I 1 I I I n a P. S. HULT & C. F. LUNDIN.

BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1915.

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UNITED STATES rernn'r canton.

PHILIP S. HULT AND CARL F. LUNDIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Box-covenants MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30,1916.

Application filed April 13,1915. Serial No. 21,150.

T all to ham it may concern Be it known that we, PHILIP S. HULT and CARL F. LUNDIN, citizens of the United States, both residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Box-Covering Machine, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to a box covering machine and particularly to a machine for folding the upstanding edges of the .covering strip around the upper edges of the box.

In the manufacture of covered paper or pasteboard boxes it is customary to mount the box upon a. rotatable form and to apply a. long strip of covering paper to the sides of the box in succession as the latter rotates with the form. The strip as thus applied projects beyond the sides of the box along both the lower and the upper edges. The portion which projects beyond the lower dge may be readily folded against the bottom of the box as the strip is applied, either manually or automatically, but the form within the box prevents the folding of the upper edge of the strip within the sides of the box during the covering operation. Some efforts have been heretofore made to provide a machine for folding these upstanding edges of the covering strip within the box after the box is removed from the form, but these machines have not come into general use and the present general practice is to fold the strip within the box by hand after it is removed from the form.

It is the general object of our invention toprovide an improved machine for automatically folding the upstanding edges of a covering strip around the upper edges of a covered box and for thereafter pressing the covering strip firmly against the inner surface of the sides of the box.

lVith this general object in view one feature of our invention relates to the Provision of an improved device for positioning and holding the box during the folding operation.

Another feature of our invention relates to the provision of improved devices acting in alternate pairs for folding and pressing the edge of the covering strip against the sides of the box.

A still further feature of our invention relates to the provision of means for automatically ejecting the box from the machine after the folding operation is completed.

larged scale; Fig. 3 is a detail view of certain of the cams shown in Fig. 2; Fig. fl: is an enlarged side elevation of one of the folding devices;,Fig. 5 is a left hand end elevation of the folding device, the operating rod being shown in section along the line 55 in at; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the folding plate and abutment shown in Fig. 4:, the parts being shown in different positions in each of the figures; Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of portions of two folding plates; Fig. 9 is atop plan view of the box supporting table; Fig. 10 is a partial vertical sectional view of the table taken along the line 10-1O in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 1111 in Fig. 10, and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view showing the operation of the box ejecting device.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that our machine comprises a box supporting table and positioning devices indicated generally by the letter A, a plurality of folding devices B and suitable mechanism for operating the supporting, positioning and folding devices in timed relation to each other. The several partsof our machine are supported upon suitable side frame memberslO, an upper frame member 11 and a lower frame member 12. The side frames 10 are provided with bearings 1318 for a power shaft 1 1 having a belt-driven pulley 15 secured to one end thereof. A pinion 17 is mounted upon the shaft 14 and meshes with agear 18 rotatable upon a cam shaft 19 also mounted in bearings in the frame members 10. The shaft 19 carries a plurality of cams through the operation of which the several parts of the machine are caused to operate in the desired sequence and time relation. The rotation of the cam shaft 19 is controlled by a foot pedal 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured to a short shaft 21 rotatable in a horizontal bearing in the frame of the machine and having an arm 22 (Fig. 2). secured to the inner end thereof. The arm 22 is connected by an upwardly extending link 23 to a stop arm 24 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 25 carried by brackets extending from the side frame members 10. Near its outer end the arm 24 is provided with a projection 24, the arm being normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 2 by a tension spring 26 (Fig. 1) attached at one end to a stud on the link 23 and at the other end to the lower frame member 12. A suitable stop27 determined the lower position of the arm 22. With the parts in this position the projection 24 on the stop arm 24 lies in the path of a lug 28 which forms a part of a friction clutch which may be of the well-known Horton type, said clutch being effective to connect the loose driven gear 18 to the shaft 19 when the stop arm is raised. The machine is started in operation by depressing the pedal 20, thereby moving the projection 24 out of the path of the lug 28. When the pedal is thereafter released, the spring 26 returns the stop arm 24 to its normal position where it reengages the lug 28 as the latter completes its revolution. As the lug 28 engages the end of the arm 24 the clutch is released and the cam shaft stops in its initial position. The box supporting mechanism, generally indicated by the letter A, comprises a horizontal table 30 (Figs. 1 and 10) supported upon a casting 31 secured to the upper end of a Vertical post 32, said post being vertically adjustable in a cross-head 33 and being retained in adjusted position therein by a screw 33*. The head 33 is in turn supported and guided by vertically movable plungers 3434 (Fig. 1) slidable in suitable bearings in brackets 3535 which are carried by the lower frame member ,12. The box supporting mechanism is moved vertically by a pair of cam-operated arms 3636 which are pivotally connected by links 3737 to the oppositeends of the cross-head 33. The arms 36 are loosely pivoted upon the bearing shaft 25, previously described, and each arm carries a cam roll 38 positioned for engagement by a table-operating cam 39. Reference to Fig. 3 will show that this cam 39 has an outline which permits a dwell of substantial duration with the table in its lower and also. in its upper positions.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 9 to 12, the devices for positioning and holding a box upon the table and for ejecting the completed box therefrom will now be described. The upper surface of the table 30 is provided with slots 40 (Figs. 9 and 11) intersecting at right angles at the center of the table. Two pair of oppositely disposed blocks 41 are slidable in theseslots, said blocks having upwardly extending portions adapted to engage the lower portion of a box resting upon the surface of the table 30. Each block 41 is provided with a downfixed to the frame member 12.

wardly extending lug 42 (Figs. 10 and 11) and a separate rod 43 extends horizontally through a hole in each lug 42, being secured therein by a set screw 44. Each rod 43 is slidable in bearings 45 and 46 formed in or carried by the table 30. A second rod 47 is positioned below each rod 43 and parallel thereto, each rod 47 having one end slidable in bearings 48 carried on the under side of the table 30. Each pair of rods 43 and 47 is connected by a casting 49 within which each of the two rods isjrigidly secured, as by set screws 50-50. A coil spring 51 encircles each rod 47 and is positioned between a side surface of the bearing 48 and a collar 52 adjustably mounted upon the rod 47. A second collar 53 is adjustably secured to each rod 47 near its inner end and each collar 53 is connected by a link 54 to a wrist plate 55 pivotally mounted beneath the table upon a stud 56 secured to the table at the center thereof. An actuating arm 57 (Fig. 9) extends outwardly from one side of the plate 55 and is connected to a strap or other flexible member 58 which passes on a guide pulley 59 mounted on a bracket 60 (Fig. 2) beneath the table. The strap 58 extends downward from the guide pulley 59 and is secured to the upper end of a coil spring 61, the lower end of said spring being For convenience of adjustment the strap 58 may be made in two parts as shown in Fig. 2, said parts being adjustably connected by a clamping device 62. With this construction it will be clear that upward movement of the table 30 will result in the application of spring tension to the arm 57, yieldingly turning the wrist plate 55 in the direction indicated by the arrow D in Fig. 9 and moving the blocks 41 inward until they engage the opposite sides of the lower portion of the box supported upon the table. As the blocks 41 are adjustable upon the rods 43, the blocks may be easily positioned so that they will engage the four sides of the box simultaneously. After the blocks engage the sides of the box further movement of the table results merely in the extension of the spring 61 and in a slight increase of pressure on the sides of the box. As the table returns to its lower position after the folding oper ation is completed, the blocks are moved outwardly by the pressure of the springs 51 against the collars 52. upon the rods 47.

For the purpose of ejecting the completed box from the table we provide the following mechanism: In addition to the intersecting slots 40, the upper surface of the'table 30 is provided with parallel slots 60 positioned to receive a pair of ejecting arms 6161 carried by a horizontalshaft 62 pivoted in bearings 6363 upon the rear side of the table 30. An actuating arm 64 (Fig. 2) is also secured to the shaft 62 and is pivotally rod 65. The rod is provided with a collar 66 and is freely slidable through a vertical.

recess in an actuating arm 67. A cam roll 68 is mounted upon the side of the arm 67 in position to engage an ejector cam 69 carried by the cam shaft 19. The outline of the cam 69 is shown in Fig. 3, being such that the actuating arm 67 will be abruptly raised for a very short period once in each revolution of the cam shaft 19. Such upward movement is communicated to the ejector arms 61 through the rod 65 and the arm 64, thereby lifting the ejector arms out of the slots 60 as indicated in Fig. 12 and causing the completed box to slide off of the rear side of the table.

The mechanism thus far described is effective to centrally position and hold a box upon the supporting table and to periodically raise the table to its upper position, in which position the folding devices may perform their operations upon the box. The four folding devices B are substantial duplicates of each other and a description of one of said devices will also apply in general to the other three.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 the folding elements which engage the opposite surfaces of the side of the box comprise an adjustable outer abutment 70 and a pivoted folding plate 71. The abutment70 is mounted in a depending projection 72 forming a part of a slide 73. The slide 73 is guided in a fixed path by ways formed'in or secured to the upper frame member 11 5). For convenience of adjustment we prefer to form the ways in a separate casting 73 longitudinally adjustable on the frame member 11 and secured in adjusted position thereon by bolts 73 An upwardly projecting lug 7 1 (Fig. 41) upon the slide 73 is adjustably connected by a rod 7 5 to a collar 75 pivoted to the upper forked end of an arm 76, pivoted at 77 to a bracket 78 carried by one of the side frame members 10. The arm 76 forms one portion of a bell crank having a second inwardly extending arm 79 connected by a depending link 80 to a cam operated actuating arm 81 (Fig. 2). The arm 81 carries a cam roll 82 positioned for engagement by a folding cam 83 mounted on and rotatable with the cam shaft 19. At its outer end the arm 81 is connected to the 3 upper end of a coil spring 83, the lower end i 81 and are moved yieldingly inwardly by the downward tension of the springs 83 Each end folder, as shown in Flg. 1, is provided for convenlence of construction with a separate actuating cam and connections therefrom.

The same figure will show that the two parts 76 and 79 of the bell. cranks for actuating thev slides of the side folders are mounted upon opposite ends of short connecting shafts 8 1, by which arrangement the downwardly extending links 80 for the side folders are positioned beyond the end of the table 30. Reference to Fig. 2 will show also that the two depending links 80 for the side folding devices are connected to a single cam-actuated arm 81. The side folders are substantially similar in construction to the end folders, the connection from the arm 76 to the rod 75 being slightly altered and including a link 760 connecting the arm 76 to a collar 761 upon a sliding rod 762 which supports an upwardly extending arm 763. The arm 763 takes the place of the collar 75 and is adjustably connected to the lug 7e by the rod 75.

The mechanism above described provides for the inward movement of the slides 73 in timed relation to the movement of the table 30, during each revolution of the cam shaft 19. The operation of the folding plate 71 during the inward movement of the slide 73 will now be described: Each folding plate 71 (Figs. 4: 6 and 7) is pivoted at 90 to the downwardly projecting forward end 92 of the slide 73. An arm 93 is secured to the plate 71 and is connected by a link 94; to the lower end of a lever 95 which is pivoted at 96 to a bracket 97 forming a part of the slide 73. At its upper end the lever 95 is provided with a stud 98 extending loosely through a slot 99 formed in one end of the link 100, the opposite end of said link being pivoted at 101 to a bracket 102 integral with or secured to the upper frame member 11. A coil spring 103 is connected at one end to the lower portion of the lever 95 and at the other end to the bracket 102, and a suitable stop 10$ may be provided upon the slide 7 3 to limit themovement of the lever 95 under the influence of the spring 103.

Having now described the complete machine, we will briefly describe the operation of the folding devices and also their relation to the other parts of the machine. The parts are shown in their normal position in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the table supporting mech-' anism is in its lower position and the folding devices are in their outer position. After a box K has been placed upon the table, the cam shaft is released by means of the pedal 20, the table 30 rises and at the same 1 when the table is raised and the folding plates are in their normal position. As the folding devices move inward the plates slide vented and continued movement of the slide 73 causes the lever 95 to swing upon its pivot 96. This movement is communicated through the link 9&- to the arm 98 and the folding plate 71, swinging the latter upon its pivot. The movement of the parts is so timed that the folding plate 71 will engage and press against the inner surface of the side of the box as the abutment engages the outer surface. When a change is made in the size of the box to be operated upon, the folding devices may be adjusted inward or outward by loosening the bolts 73 and moving the casting 73 relatively to the upper frame member 11. After this adjustment has been accomplished the rods 75 are adjusted in correct relation with the arms 76 of the actuating bell cranks. After one pair of folding devices have performed their operation upon the box these devices are withdrawn and the remaining pair are advanced, thus completely folding the strip about the upper edges of the box. As the latter pair are withdrawn the table descends and the ejecting device removes the box from the table. As the box slides down along the ejector arms it may, if desired, be deposited upon a conveyer 110 (Fig. 2) by which it will be delivered to any desired point. At one or more corners of the box the projecting strip 70 may be continuous and in order to form a suitable fold in the corner the forward edges of the folding plates 71 may be cut away at their adjacent corners as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

Having thus described our invention it will be evident that changes and modifica tions can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention as set forth in the claims and we do not wish to be other wise limited to the details herein disclosed, but

What we do claim is 1. A box covering machine having, in combination, a frame, a. box supporting table movably mounted on said frame, box gripping devices mounted on said table, means to move said gripping devices toward each other on said table to grip and hold a box positioned on the surface of said table, means to move said table to operative position, a plurality of folding devices mounted on said frame, and means to operate said folding devices in timed relation to the movements of said table.

2..A box covering machine having in combination a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted on said table, means to move said table to operative position, means to move said gripping devices automatically toward each other to grip the box as the table moves to operative position, a plurality of folding devices, and mttomatic means to operate said folding devices.

3. A box covering machine having in combination a box supporting table. box gripping devices mounted on said table,

automatic means to cause said gripping devices to yieldingly engage a box on said table, a plurality of folding devices, and means to operate said folding devices in timed relation to the movement of said grip ping devices.

4. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted on said table, means to raise said table to operative position and to retain said table for a predetermined period of time in operative position, means including a spring for causing the gripping devices to yieldingly engage the box as the table rises, a plurality of folding devices, and means to operate said folding devices in timed relation to the movement of the table and of the gripping devices.

5. A box covering machine having in combination a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted on said table, means to move said table to operative position, and means to automatically move said gripping devices to engage the box as the tables moves to operative position, said last named means comprising a plurality of blocks slidable in fixed paths in said table, a Wrist plate rotatably fixed to said table, a connecting link from each block to said wrist plate, and means effective to yieldingly move said plate angularly as the table moves to operative position.

6. A box covering machine having in combination a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted on said table,

means to move said table to operative position, and automatic means to move said gripping devices to engage the box as the table is moved to operative position, said last named means comprising a plurality of blocks slidable in fixed paths in said table, a wrist plate rotatably fixed to said table, a connecting link from each block to said wrist plate, an arm on said plate, a tension spring secured at one end to a fixed support, and a flexible connection from the free end of said spring to said arm whereby said spring yieldingly moves said arm and wrist plate angularly-as the table moves to operative position.

7. A box covering machine having, in

i n n All combination, a frame, a box supporting table movably mounted on said frame, box gripping devices mounted on said table, means to move said gripping devices toward each other on said table to grip and hold a box positioned on the surface of said table, means to move said table to operative position, a plurality of folding devices mounted on said frame, and means to operate said folding devices while the table and gripping devices remain stationary in operative position.

8. A box covering machine having in combination a box supporting table, means to hold a box in fixed position on said table, and a plurality of folding devices, each effective to fold an upstanding portion of covering paper around an upper edge of said box as said box is supported upon said table, each of said folding devices comprising a folding blade mounted upon a slide movable in a fixed guide way in a plane parallel to the plane of the table, whereby said blade is given a rectilinear movement across and closely adjacent to the upper edge of said box, and connections whereby said blade is thereafter given an additional angular movement by which it is rendered effective to press the paper against the inner upper surface of the side of the box.

9. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, means to hold a box in fixed position on said table, and a plurality of folding devices each effective to fold an upstanding portion of covering paper around an upper edge of said box as said box is supported upon said table, each of said folding devices comprising a slide, an abutment fixed to said slide, a normally-raised folding plate pivoted on said slide, a lever pivoted on said slide and connected to said folding plate, and a lostmotion connection from said lever to a fixed part of the machine.

10. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, means to hold a box in fixed position on said table, and a plurality of folding devices each effective to fold an upstanding portion of covering paper around an upper edge of said box as said box is supported upon said table, each of said folding devices comprising a slide, an abutment fixed to said slide, a normally-raised folding plate pivoted on said slide, a lever pivoted on said slide and connected to said folding plate, a stud on said lever, and a link pivoted at one end to a fixed part of the machine and having a slot in the other end through which said stud projects, said link forming a lost-motion operating device for said lever and folding plate.

11. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, means to hold a box in 'fixed position on said table,

and a plurality of folding devices each effective to fold an upstanding portion of covering paper around an upper edge of said box as said box is supported upon said table, each of said folding devices comprising a slide, an abutment fixed to said slide, a normally-raised folding plate pivoted on said slide, means to give said slide, abutment and plate a rectilinear movement toward the box,

and means to swing said plate upon its pivot as the slide approaches its inward limit of travel, whereby said plate and said abutment engage opposite surfaces of the side of the box substantially simultaneously.

12. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted thereon, means to move said table to operative and inoperative positions, a plurality of devices for folding the upstanding edges of the covering paper within the sides .of the box while the table is in operative position, and means to remove the box from the table as the latter returns to inoperative position.

13. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted thereon, means to move said table to operative and inoperative positions, a plurality of devices for folding the upstanding edges of the covering paper within the sides of the box while the table is in operative position, conveying means positioned adjacent said table, and means to remove said box from said table to said conveying means as the table returns to operative position.

14. A box covering machine having, in combination, a box supporting table, box gripping devices mounted thereon, a plurality of devices for folding the upstanding edges of the covering paper within the sides of the box while the box is positioned and supported on said table, a pivoted ejectorarm mounted on said table and normally positioned below the surface thereof, and means for swinging said arm above the surface of said table to eject a completed box therefrom.

15. A box covering machine having, in combination, a table, box positioning devices mounted on said table, means to actuate said devices, a plurality of folding de vices operable in pairs on opposite sides of a box positioned on said table, a driven cam shaft, a cam on said shaft for one pair of folding devices, a lever operable by said cam and connections from said lever to each one of said pair of folding devices, whereby two oppositely disposed folding devices are operated simultaneously by a single cam.

16. A box covering machine having, in

combination, a movable box supporting table, paper folding devices, box ejecting devices, a driven cam shaft having a plurality of cams thereon, and connections whereby erate said folding devices in timed relation to the movements of the table and of the gripping devices, and means to vary the final vertical position of said table and the relative box-engaging positions of said gripping devices, whereby said machine is rendered operable upon boxes of difi'erent dimensions.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

PHILIP S. HULT. CARL F. LUNDIN.

Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

